The object of the present invention is an inner lining for a cylindrical container for the transportation and/or for the storage of radioactive materials, especially of irradiated fuel elements from nuclear reactors as well as a process for the production of such an inner lining.
Radioactive materials, especially spent fuel elements from nuclear reactors besides gamma and neutron radiation also give off significant residual heat. Containers which are employed for the transportation and/or for the storage of this type of material therefore must safely enclose the radioactivity of the inserted material and safely lead off the residual heat produced to the outside. This is demonstrated in such manner in rigorous tests that even in situations of extreme accidents the safety is guaranteed.
There are known containers consisting of a thick walled metallic outer container which guarantees the necessary mechanical strength and the shielding of the radioactive radiation, and an inner container or an inner container lining which additionally guarantee the inner inclusion of the radioactive materials from the viewpoint of corrosion, surface roughness and diffusion.
Containers of this type are available via inner linings which are applied by casting (German Pat. No. GM 78 192 82) or as sprayed coatings or as electroplated layer.
However, these processes have the disadvantage that either there can occur industrial testing difficulties, e.g. simulation of cast pipers with defective cast on inner lining, or the surface quality must be improved by expensive additional working.
Therefore, the invention is based on the problem of providing an inner lining for a cylindrical container for the transportation and/or storage of radioactive material, especially of irradiated fuel elements from nuclear reactors, which guarantee a good contact between inner lining (or liner) and the container with minimizing of the operating steps, as well as to provide a process for the production of such inner linings.